Alex Glenn - Alex Heath
I decided that Alex would be best for the role due to the fact that he has so much drama experience, and he put on the best performance during auditions. He is used to the filming set up and due to the fact we have known each other for a long time it makes the task less daunting as it is just filming a friend.
India Simmons - Alex's sister
I thought India would be best as she looks the most like Alex out of all of those who auditioned, so she would be the most convincing for the part. She also seemed the most excited about the idea of being in the opening.
What costumes will the cast be wearing?
Both characters will be wearing their own clothing as I wanted the actors to both look and feel as natural as possible to give a more convincing performance, and as also I want the costume to be quite simple so as to not distract from the plotline; as I feel that if I went for more striking costume choices it could confuse the audience by drawing their focus away from what is actually happening within the opening, as they would be more concerned with why the characters are dressed like that then the actual plot. I want Alex to be in more old fashioned clothing to portray that he is against the more modern trends, which will create that irony within his character as he is addicted to technology. His sister will just be in basic modern day fashion so not to distract the focus of the audience of other aspects of the movie opening.
This is the list of props that we will need whilst filming:
Laptop - For Alex to carry around and then later be on the screen of.
Headphones- For Alex to plug in when he is out in public
Game consoles, chargers, phones- To add character mis-en-scene to the bedroom,
Costume:
The costume for both Alex and his sister will be just normal clothes as I want it to look realistic. However, Alex will be wearing more old fashioned clothes, like a trench coat/waistcoat to add to his character of not liking modern trends but also to add a juxtaposition to is personality of loving new and updated technology.
Here is the final script for my coursework. I have made a few changes, such as the character being his mother to his sister, and after doing my location research I have changed the park bench to one in the city centre.
FADE IN: The camera follows Alex's feet as he walks to sit on a park bench. He sits down and immediately gets out his laptop and turns it on.
CUT TO:
A mid shot of Alex sitting on a bench in the city centre, all the people around him are moving at a faster speed to him as he sits and doesn't look up from the laptop.
CUT TO:
The same shot but Alex has moved location. He is now in a busy shopping centre on a sofa outside a cafe.
CUT TO:
A close up of his hands typing on time lapse, so his hands are moving quickly.
FADES TO BLACK
CUT TO:
Alex walking into his bedroom, he sits on the bed and turns on his laptop. He starts to scroll through different tabs and decides to watch a tv programme so sets one up to watch. As it begins the screen starts to crackle. He is confused as to why and starts to click around on the different tabs.
CUT TO:
SCREEN SHUTS DOWN TO BLACK
CUT TO:
A shot of the top of the bed. There is no one in shot and the camera is placed in the perspective of the computer.
CUT TO:
A black background and the only thing visible is Alex. He doesn't know where he is and at first looks confused but then starts to panic, hitting his fists against the screen in from of him and pushing either side of the screen he is trapped in.
ALEX:
What the..... where am I?
Pause
Help?? Is there anyone there??? Can anyone hear me??
HHEEEELLLLLLLLPPPPP!!!
CUT TO:
Alex's mum walks into his bedroom
ALEX'S SISTER:
Alex.... are you home?
She looks around and notices the laptop still open in his bed. You can see him on the screen but she doesn't notice that.
AlEX'S SISTER:
His laptop is still on....odd.
CUT TO:
Camera is from the perspective of the laptop. The screen shuts down slowly over it as if it is from the perspective of the laptop.
Am I going to use exterior and/or interior locations?
I am going to use both exterior and interior locations. I want to use spaces outside as I think that this would show a perfect juxtaposition between the virtual world my character is addicted to, and the reality he is actually in. By setting certain scenes outside it will add the contrast to how much he is ignoring the world around him by using his laptop. I want to use interior locations as I want to set the main part of the opening in his bedroom, as this will allow the audience to get a more in depth knowledge of the character using different props and elements of mis-en-scene; e.g. posters, belongings etc. Furthermore it would show how he as a character is more comfortable inside, as he has his own space with his personality on show; whereas in the outdoor settings he will be more introverted.
Potential locations:
Exterior locations:
The Forum:
Pros:
I think this would be a good location because it is a very open space, so it would be easy to film there as no permission would be needed so we could film whenever suits us the most. It would also provide a good space to try different shots due to how it is a large area, as we could try different locations with it to see which area would give the best image for what we want.
Cons:
It is not very busy a lot of the time so may not create the effect that we want, because the character is meant to be isolating himself from other people and he cannot do that if there are no other people there. Also, when it is busy there is usually an event on, which would make it hard to film. This means it may not be the easiest location as we would have to plan in advance to check that there are no events happening on the day we want to film.
Back up: inside the forum in the case of bad weather.
Chapelfield gardens: Pros:It would have the perfect contrast to my character as it is a green space, and he would be on his laptop so this would show the audience exactly what the character is like and emphasis the use of technology in an unusual place. Again, it is an open space so I wouldn't have to worry about asking permission to film.
Cons:
It is very dependant on the on the weather and there is no back up to it if that is an issue. How many other people that will be there to add to the background contrast is also very weather dependant, which could take away from whether or not it helps build the image of the character that I want.
Back ups : none
City Centre: Pros: It would be very busy so would add the perfect contrast between the character isolating himself from the world he is actually in as we would be completely ignoring a very busy setting. It would also be easy to get good footage to time lapse, which is something I want to include in the opening to show the amount of time the character spends on his laptop.
Cons:
Due to the business some people may be interested in what we are doing, or look directly at the camera in the background as we won't have control over whether or not people can walk by; which could detract from the overall impact of the shots. Back ups : coffee shops/ cafes would have a similar effect.
Interior locations:
Chapelfield: Pros: It is really busy because pretty much all the time which again would have the effect we are looking for and would also be good for creating time lapses. There are also lots of different places that we could try film within the centre, giving us more opportunity to get good shots that give the image we want.
Cons:
I would have to get permission to film there and it is known for being quite difficult to gain access to. Also I would have to be careful again of people in the background ruining any footage if we did get access.
Back up : Castle Mall
My room: Pros:
It would be easy to film in as it is my house so I would not have to worry about asking people permission. It would also be good for showing off the character as I have lots of posters that we could put up to show certain aspects of the character the audience.
Cons:
It is quite a feminine room which would not fit the characters personality, and also it is a quite a cramped space so we would be limited with the different shots that we could try.
Back up: My siblings rooms
My dad's spare room: Pros: It is easy to get to in relation to the locations outside, as it is in Norwich too, which would help the efficiency of filming days as we wouldn't have to travel far between locations. Also, again we wouldn't have to ask permission as it is my family's house so we would be able to film there whenever we wanted to.
Cons:
It is a very plain room so would not really add much to the character or plot. It again is also a small space so we would not be able to move around that much to try different shots.
Back up: My dads room
Alex's room: Pros:
It has lots of posters and props we could use in it, which would add to the image of the character and help us add some more personality to the opening in a more subtle way. Also, it is Alex's room so he may be more comfortable acting there than somewhere he as never been before, so it could give his performance a more natural feel.
Cons:
Alex's house is quite far away from Norwich, so we would have to plan transport from the locations there on filming days, which would reduce the efficiency. There is also no back up to this room as we would not be able to film in any of the other rooms in the house.
For the scenes inside the computer we will just use a window in whichever house we choose for the main room.
Can all the cast get to the locations?
All the cast can get to the locations with planning, so they are all accessible as long as we are organised.
Who?
Alex Glenn, a city college student who takes Btec drama.
Why would they be good for the role?
I think he would be good for the role because he loves acting and takes drama, so his performance will be good. Also we have been friends for a really long time so both of us would feel comfortable whilst directing as we know each other really well. Furthermore, as Alex studies drama he knows how to take directions so it would make the filming process easier.
Potential issues:
He lives in the middle of nowhere so getting him to different locations may be an issue. Also, due to him being a drama student he is often really busy in the evenings and weekends doing performances for his course, so availability may be an issue.
Who?
Harry Flegg, a sixth former who takes A level drama.
Why would they be good for the role?
I think Harry would be good for the role as he takes a level drama. so will have some experience in acting. Also he is super friendly, so he will be really easy to work with and direct. We also go to the same sixth form, so our availability is roughly the same so organising days to film will be relatively easy.
Potential issues:
He has never acted on camera before, so it may take a while for him to get used to it.
Who?
George Jordan, a sixth form student.
Why would he be good for the role?
I think that he would be good for the role because he is naturally quite like the character I had in mind. We also get along really well, so working together wouldn't be an issue. Furthermore, he also goes to the same sixth form as me so we would have similar availability.
Potential issues:
He has no experience with acting, so his performance may not be as convincing as the others. He also lives quite far away so getting to different locations may be an issue.
Alex's sister:
Who?
Megan Cary, Sixth Form student
Why would they be good for the role?
I think that Megan would be good for the role because she likes drama a lot, and does an acting club on the weekend so she will be good at filling the role. She also is really laid back, so will be able to work with whoever and understand what to do easily,
Potential issues:She lives a far way away and also is a very busy person, so organising a day when she is free will be difficult, and getting her to that location will also be tricky.
Who?
India Simmons, a Sixth form student. Why would she be good for the role?
I think she would be good for the role because she has offered to help out with media work in the past, so doesn't mind being a part of it, making organizing and directing easier as she wants to be involved.
Potential issues:
She has only done theatre performance before, so it may take a while to get used to being filmed on camera.
Who?
Erin Ketteridge, a sixth form student,
Why would she be good for the role?
She is super friendly, so will work well with anyone. Also, she has a similar time table to me within school which would make planning and filming with her easier as we are free at similar times.
Potential issues:
She doesn't really act, so it may be a bit difficult to direct as she has not done anything like this before.
Profession : Sixth form student, has a part time job at the local gaming store.
Favourite Colour: Blue
Favourite Number: 22
Likes:
Video games
Coding
Punk Rock music
Playing guitar
Dislikes:
Public speaking
Chart Music
Family meals
Tim Burton films
History:
Alex comes from a relatively middle class family background, with a traditional nuclear family who live in a standard house on the outskirts of a city. His upbringing was completely average, he was the kid who wasn't smart but wasn't stupid, he had a normal number of friends, every aspect of his life was just okay; nothing spectacular but nothing horrible either. When he hit his teenage years, the monotonous routine of school, homework, eat, sleep, repeat began to get a bit too tedious for him. He was bored; so he turned to the world of technology to provide an outlet to this. He got sucked into the virtual realities available, all accessible within his own home. He progressively became more and more addicted to these worlds; spending all his time on his laptop doing whatever except looking at his surroundings around him. He became an extreme teen, isolating himself from everything and everyone; save his that which he can access with his laptop.
Personality traits:
Irrtiable
Kind when it really matters
Very shy but can be interpreted as sulky
Friendship groups:
Only really the people he plays games with online. Influences:
Stan Lee
Neil Gaimen
Kirk Hamett
3 words to describe him:
Passive, introverted, geek Extras:
The only other character in my film opening is his sister; who finds the laptop still left on in his room. She doesn't feature much but she and her brother get along really well; they have similar interests but is far more extroverted that him; and spends a lot more time going out and socialising than he does.
How did the pitch go ?
I think that the pitch went okay, everyone seemed to respond positively to the idea. I think I could have been clearer when trying to portray some of my ideas as I think that some people struggled to picture what I was saying and thus did not understand the concept completley.
What feedback were you given?
Thew feedack I ws given was mainly positive, people seemed intrigued by the idea and seemed to be interested on how it would develop. There was some confusion on how I was going to actually make it look like they were in a computer screen and people wanted to know how far I had gotten with the actaul filming process.
Have you made any changes as a result?
I haven't made any drastic changes as a result, I have just altered my plans on how to film slightly; as it was pointed out I wont have to upload the video to youtube to film it in the cmputer, I can just play the clip on the computer to save time during the filming process. It has also made me aware that I need to make it very clear on that he is trapped in a compputer screen becuase that seemed to be the aspect that people didn't seemed to get how it would work the most.
Has it made you less/more determined to continue with a certain aspect of your coursework?
It has made me more determined to continue with my idea and to try and actaully pull it off, as it has the potential to not look good due to the abtractness of the idea.
This is the first draft of my script, once I have finalised my ideas and done the logistical thing of planning locations and casting my characters I will make any adjustments that may be needed.
FADE IN: The camera follows Alex's feet as he walks to sit on a park bench. He sits down and immediately gets out his laptop and turns it on.
CUT TO:
A mid shot of Alex sitting on the park bench, all the people around him are moving at a faster speed to him as he sits and doesn't look up from the laptop.
CUT TO:
The same shot but Alex has moved location. He is now in a busy shopping centre on a sofa outside a cafe.
CUT TO:
A close up of his hands typing on time lapse, so his hands are moving quickly.
FADES TO BLACK
CUT TO:
Alex walking into his bedroom, he sits on the bed and turns on his laptop. He starts to scroll through different tabs and decides to watch a tv programme so sets one up to watch. As it begins the screen starts to crackle. He is confused as to why and starts to click around on the different tabs.
CUT TO:
SCREEN SHUTS DOWN TO BLACK
CUT TO:
A shot of the top of the bed. There is no one in shot and the camera is placed in the perspective of the computer.
CUT TO:
A black background and the only thing visible is Alex. He doesn't know where he is and at first looks confused but then starts to panic, hitting his fists against the screen in from of him and pushing either side of the screen he is trapped in.
ALEX:
What the..... where am I?
Pause
Help?? Is there anyone there??? Can anyone hear me??
HHEEEELLLLLLLLPPPPP!!!
CUT TO:
Alex's mum walks into his bedroom
ALEX'S MUM:
Alex.... are you home?
She looks around and notices the laptop still open in his bed. You can see him on the screen but she doesn't notice that.
AlEX'S MUM:
His laptop is still on....odd.
CUT TO:
Camera is from the perspective of the laptop. The screen shuts own slowly over it as if the laptop was being closed.
Summary of the audience research you conducted:
The general ideas suggested that most people do not expect a whole lot to be revealed in the opening two minutes if a film, they want to be introduced to the key concepts but for enough to be left ambigious to act as an incentive for them to continue watching the film. Most people seemed to think that the best film openings' are the ones that do not give everything away, but create questions or intrigue to what will happen in the next of the rest of the movie.
What have I learnt?
From conducting my audience research I have learnt that people have a wide range of ideas of what a Sci-Fi opening should include, as there is such variety within the genre. Furthermore, the general consensus is that simple is strong and only limited characters and locations should be revealed so as to not over complicate the introduction to the film.
What was the general consensus towards my own idea?
The feedback I got was very positive; people seemed to like the idea and think it was an interesting concept. They seemed to want to know what would happen next and were intrigued by the different routes that the film could go down if it were to be developed further.
What developments/changes will I make to my own idea based on these opinions?
I think when developing my film opening further I will make sure to try and keep the characters and locations simple as it is quite a complex idea and as the feedback suggested that you shouldn't perhaps reveal everything about your characters in the opening minutes I will try and leave some things unsaid so as to try and spark that intrigue; and so not to take away from the actual plot of the story by trying to fit too much in to the initial minutes.
What ways would would your target audience ideally be able to consume your film?
My target audience would ideally be able to consume my film initially through cinema; as that is how a majority of films are shown and get their initial audience. Furthermore my main target audience is 15-25, and this age demographic generally goes out to the cinema quite a lot thus it is the best opportunity for them to consume it. Another way they could consume it is via online platforms such as Netflix and Amazon Prime, as the younger generations more than ever are online and this is how they predominately consume media, so although the cinema is a good way for the initial viewing; these platforms would be ideal for continued viewing of my film as it is the way my target audience is most likely to be engaged.
What did I learn during my preliminary task?
I learnt the initial skills needed to create a film; for example I learnt how to organise and cast people; and also how to direct people to do what you want them to as before the task I hadn't really ever practiced those skills. It was also my first time using a film camera properly, so I learnt how to set it up with a trip pod and how to set up the different shots that we needed.
What do I want to avoid during my actual coursework?
I think the sound quality in our preliminary was not good, so I would avoid using such noisy locations or perhaps consider laying the sound over and syncing it to the footage. Also having a clearer plan of what I am going to film rather than just creating it on the spot, as it makes difficult to portray your ideas and what you want to the actors if you have not developed the shots and ideas properly beforehand.
What do I want to develop on in my actual coursework?
I would like to develop on the fact that we included a variety of different camera shots and angles and try to make them look a bit more professional. I also think that I would like to develop the editing process as although it isn't awful, some of the shots don't flow very well together and make the whole film look a bit disconnected. So in my actual coursework I want to make sure that all the shots fit well together.
Plot outline:
Within my current idea the plot follows this storyline:
A boy is always on his laptop
He goes to lots of different places and yet always has his laptop with him e.g cafe, parks, shops
He goes home one day and the first thing he does is go onto his laptop ( like everyday)
He starts to flick through different tabs and websites
The screen beings to crackle
This happens a couple more time and then the computer just switches itself off
The next thing the audience will see is the empty bed where he was sittng before
The boy is stuck in the computer and begins to panick about why and how he will get out
A family member calls his name
They go into his bedroom and see the laptop is still on but don't notice him on the screen
They shut the laptop down
Cuts to title
Where would I go if I was going to make the film as a whole?
There are two routes I could potentially go down; the first is that the boy getting trapped in the computer is just a metaphor for the fact that he has let technology dictate his life and follow a more pyscological plot line on how this can effect his relationships. The second, and my preferred option, is that the boy literally got sucked into the computer screen and go down the more fanatsical route of there being a parralell cyber universe within which teenagers are being sucked into. The rest of the plot would then be about how to get out of this universe and back into what everyone else knows to be reality.
I have brainstormed the 3 ideas I chose to develop further to give me more of an idea of what I would be doing for each separate one, and which one I would like to continue as my actual opening.
Idea One:
Pros: The positives of this idea are that it would be fun to edit it, espcially with the flashforwards when the character blinks as I could use lots of different shots in a short period of time. Also I think there is a lot of room for character development and a chance to create a protagonist that really intrigues the audience, as depending on what the images are when she blinks it could reveal a lot of characteristics in a unique way. The practical side of this is quite easy as all the locations are easy to access and it doesn't require a lot of actors to organise because there are not many characters.
Cons: The downside to this idea is the fact that it may be quite difficult to present it coherently to the audience. To make sure that the plot makes sense you would have to make the images that appear when she blinks really clearly a flash forward, which could be quite difficult, and if it doesn't work then it could make the entire opening seem a bit pointless.
Idea Two :
Pros: I like this idea because I think that it is quite quirky but also relevant to a lot of the audience; everyone spends too much time on technology now, therefore it will be more relatable and have a larger impact on the audience. It would be easy to organise because you would just need a few open locations and then a bedroom; all of which are easily accessible. It also only includes on character so I would only have to organise two people which would make creating a filming schedule much easier. There is also lots of scope for interesting shots as the character is stuck in the computer screen; it would be fun to try and recreate that trapped illusion. Cons:
It would be very editing heavy as an idea, as most of it relies on the fact that the character is trapped within the computer screen. This is quite a different idea and trying to recreate that effect could have some practical problems which would make the filming and editing process harder. It could also be Idea 3 :
Pros: I think this idea has the most room for experimenting with audience interaction, it breaks the 4th wall in quite an unusual way as the character doesn't realise that is what is happening at first, almost putting the audience into the position of power. I think this would be the most interesting in terms of presenting the credits as it is what the idea almost is based around; the typography could change dependant on what part of the scenery it was part of. Cons: Due to the fact would need narration to present the characters thoughts, it may be quite difficult to make it original and not just cliche. The script would also have to be really strong so that it doesn't make the plot cringe, which could be quite difficult to do whilst maintaining the storyline well enough for the audience to understand it.
Final idea:
I have decided to choose Idea 2: Computer Screen. This is because I think it has the most room to explore different options in terms of shots and also editing techniques. I think it is the most original idea out of the 3 and also has the most impactful storyline, as everyone in today's society uses technology.
Here is a video diary that just has my very first ideas about what I may want to do with my coursework and the different routes I am thinking of going down.
A film genre is a motion picture category based on similarities in either the narrative elements or the emotional response to the film (namely, serious, comic, etc.). Most theories of film genre are borrowed from literary genre criticism.
Conventions of film genres are the normal features in a film you would see of a certain genre.
Horror films The conventions of horror films are...
Either a dark isolated setting eg forest/abandoned building. OR. a city environment to make the story seem realistic.
Disturbing low pitch sounds to create tension and suspense.
Dark colours/filters (blood red).
Death/ supernatural/ dark plots.
Fast pace editing to create suspense.
A vulnerable character and a brave character.
Contrapuntal music
For example...
This film opening has a vulnerable character, a supernatural plot, contrapuntal music, disturbing soundtrack to build up tension and dark colours used throughout. All of these create an atmosphere, you wouldn't think a teen comedy would start with bright colours.
Horror films are usually aimed at younger audiences, aged 15-20. Horror films excite a younger audience and give them a thrill, younger audiences are less likely to be put off by horror films and scenes of violence which would make older audiences feel negatively towards the film.
Science Fiction The conventions of science fiction films are...
Scientific elements
technology
set in the future
Futuristic props, costume and setting
Conflict between good and evil
time-travel
For example..
This film opening features the scientific elements and technology of time travel its also partly set in the future, in the fact that Marty was sent to the future and comes back from the future.
Newly releasing science fiction are usually aimed at younger audiences, aged 15-20. However as franchises grow older and release sequels the same audience carries through with the film, meaning the audience is a much older more mature audience as well as younger audiences who have been shown the films by parents or older family members.
Comedy Conventions of comedy films are..
Idiots who are accident prone (Charlie from Always Sunny in Philadelphia)
Smart people who are socially awkward (Sheldon from The Big Bang Theory
'Regular people' (Dennis from Always Sunny in Philadelphia)
Love and sex ( Superbad)
Alcohol and Drugs (How High)
work and school (Office Space)
Music (School of Rock)
Crime (The Green Hornet)
Most comedies have a nice and happy outcome
There are many locations that are featured in comedy films.
For example...
This intro features a main character that could be considered a bit of an idiot but hes not a normal person, he is a policeman fighting crime. He is also arguably accident prone since he gets stabbed, therefore most of these fits the conventions of the genre.
The target audience of a comedy film is very dependant on the content of the film. For example children’s films labelled as PG’s or U’s can have comical scenes, however the audience would be completely different for a comedy film labelled as a 12 or a 15, Comedies labelled 18 certificate are often more explicit in terms of language and scenes, making the film heavily aimed at the over 18s.
Romance... Conventions of the romance genre are...
soft lighting effects and relatively natural lighting to achieve the feeling of it being in touch with reality making the story as believable as possible.
soft tender music, this is to represent the tenderness and sensitivity of the relationship and often represent the characters personality.
Flowers and gifts that will be given to one of the main characters usually by the love interest.
A male and Female, the male is virtually always the love interest and the selling point of the film
Most of the time there will be some sort of character that disrupts the relationship created between the two main characters
mostly set in the city, especially big cities for example New York being perhaps the most common setting for Romance films,
This film opening features soft tender lighting and the colour red which is the colour most people think of when they think of romance. This opening doesn't exactly fit the other conventions but that shows how even some of the biggest hits in cinema do not abide by the conventions.
Target audiences for romance films usually tends to be more for women than men. After asking some people questions about why people think women are more likely to like romance films, they said women are the main target audience because they feel the films are relatable and men get dragged along to watch the films. Teen... Conventions of teen films are...
The plot is usually based upon the special interests of teenagers
coming of age
first love
rebellion
conflict with parents
teen angst or alienation
Films in this genre are often set in high schools
contain characters that are of high school age
Sexual themes are also common, as are crude forms of humor.
In this film opening of the teen film, perks of being a wall flower, it confides to the conventions of the genre. It features a young adult, who in this specific scene seems quite alienated. Not many teens spend time alone in their rooms in films, they're out partying. We can't tell from the opening but the film goes on to deal with coming of age and first love for example.
Teen film is a film genre targeted at teenagers and young adults, For legal reasons, many teenage characters are portrayed by young adults. Some teen films appeal to young males while others appeal to young females.
Action... Action film conventions are..
Physical action takes precedence in the storytelling
Continuous motion and action
Physical stunts, chases, fights, battles, and races.
The story usually revolves around a hero that has a goal, but is facing incredible odds to obtain it.
This film does not abide by the most of the conventions of action films, it sets the scene in mexico and as he enters the hotel room and locks the door, changes and disappears out the window we know he is the hero.
Action films are one of, if not the most popular film genre. Both the mass and niche audiences watch action film. So a lot of different types of people are watching. But there is a core target audience who will and would want to watch any action films that are released. This is typically a young adult male, with an interest in action, thrills and excitement. Crime genres.. Conventions of crime films are..
Suspicion
Enigmas
Extraordinary events
Drama
Fast pace
crime of some sort
cliffhanger
antagonist in danger
complex narrative
This film opening again does not specifically fit the conventions of the genre, it has the antagonist and features the illegal game which in the film is the protagonist but that is the only few conventions of the genre it meets in the opening sequence.
The target audience for a crime thriller would be predominantly males. This is because a crime thriller is known to interest them more. Crime-thrillers are often age rating 15. This is because it
allows the creators of the film to include a vast amount of strong violence, sex scenes and sex references and strong violence. All these are present crime thrillers with a 15 certificate. However are present to an extent which enables the film to be enjoyed by people age 15 and above.
What do film companies do to attract these audiences in terms of marketing?
Film companies can attract their audiences in a variet of ways; the most significant is probably the name of the film itself. If the name does not appeal to the target audience, they are not likely to watch the film therefore it must be catered correctly to the interests of the people who are most likely to watch the fiulm. For example, ' Angus, Thongs and perfect snogging' is going to interest a completley different audience to 'Die hard'.
Another way of marketing a film is its trailer, which usually include the best parts of the film that are likely to intrigue an audience whilst still not giving too much away. Film companies can also post these trailers on socail medias like youtube and facebook to market their film further, as it will be accessible to a larger amount of people.
What is dialogue?
Dialogue is a written or verbal conversation between two or more people, as a feature of a book, play or film.
Is dialogue necessary in the opening two minutes of a feature film?
Personally, I don't think that dialogue is 100% necessary within the opening sequence of a film; but this is not to say it cannot add to it if it is included and used correctly. Typically speaking, openings with dialogue reveal more information to the audience about the plot and characters as it puts across directly the characters emotions or can immediately define what is going on. This is effective because it allows the audience to develop a connection quickly with a character or the plot, giving them an incentive to keep watching as they can begin to invest in certain characters and become interested with where the story will go. However, film openings without dialogue can resonate and have an impact on the audience as they can create a sense of ambiguity that sparks an interest to keep on watching. It also forces the audience to focus on different parts of the mis-en-scene if there is no dialogue to draw their attention; so aspects of a characters personality can be revealed through the things they have on their desk for example, rather than being directly shown through speech.
Examples of dialogue being and not being used in film openings of the following genres: Comedy :
Comedy film openings would generally be expected to use dialogue as that is the easiest way to deliver humour; however some forms without, e.g mr bean, can also be just as effective.
Without dialogue: Airplane
Positives: The opening is very simplistic as it just includes one theme tune and that is it. This is effective because it is a well known theme (jaws) and put into the comic situation of an airplane wing makes it have a comedic effect. If there was any dialogue it could draw away from this parody and ruin the intended humour.
Negatives:
The disadvantage of only using this theme and no dialogue, is that unless the person had heard of/seen jaws then the joke will be lost on them . This reliance on the parody could mean that people don't get the joke and therefore are more likely to turn the film off as it wouldn't be funny to them .
With dialogue: The Hangover
Positives: The advantage of using dialogue here is that it introduces the audience immediately into the plot line of the film : a wedding at risk due to a bachelor party. This then sets the entire rest of the film up as the audience know what to expect, so they can pay more attention to the humour as they have a clear concept of the plot from the first scenes.
Negatives: The dialogue in this opening has a serious tone, which is unusual as it is a comedy. This could give the audience the wrong impression on what to expect in terms of the tone of the film.
Horror
Horror film openings usually are more effective without dialogue, as typically they rely on ambiguity to cause suspense and dialogue can ruin this effect. Furthermore, the use of a good eerie soundtrack can be very useful within this genre and using dialogue can too detract from this having as large an impact on the audience.
Positives:
This creates a sense of suspense and fear as the lack of dialogue forces the audience to take in the childrens' expressions and read the characters that way. The theme is spooky and sets up the genre perfectly as it makes the reader aware that this isn't going to be a happy film. The fact that it is just soundtrack adds to the impact of the actions of the children as it creates a sense of ambiguity to as why they are doing it; and the unknown is what installs fear thus suiting the genre perfectly.
Negatives:
Personally I don't think that there are any issues with this opening not having dialogue as I think dialogue would have just detracted from the atmosphere that the music creates.
Positives:
The dialogue in this film opening reveals the backstory to the film, making the audience already begin to feel a bit unsteady as they are presented with the dark past of the doll. It gives them an insight into what the plot may involve and also the sinister tone of the feel; creating a nervous atmosphere.
Negatives:
The downside of using dialogue in this film is the fact that it could be seen as revealing too much information too quickly, especially as the genre is horror. Usually horror films feed of the unknown and the dialogue in this lets a lot of the backstory be revealed very quickly, and once this is done it is very hard to maintain the element of surprise as the audience can already begin to speculate what is going to happen. This can then lead to the events of the film being cliche and detract from fear that the audience have the potential to feel.
Action
Action film openings can vary on whether or not they use dialogue or not as it can be equally effective either way ; without dialogue can be an action packed beginning and introduce the plot just as well through the actual movement in the scenes, but with dialogue can introduce characters and plot to make the audience want to continue watching.
Positives:
The positives of not using dialogue is that it doesn't overload the audience in the first minutes, it introduces them to the genre through the titles without there being any dialogue to detract from that. It also forces the audience to focus on the different transitions which give parts of the character and plot away; introducing the genre in a more subtle style than typically action does.
Negatives:
The downside of not using any dialogue at all in this opening is that personally I find it becomes a bit boring, the music isn't enough to capture and keep the attention of the audience. It doesn't reveal much about the character or plot, so it doesn't give the audience much to go on by or give them any real insight into what the film may contain, which makes it difficult to make them want to watch on.
Drama
Dialogue again can vary in the openings of drama films as it is such a broad genre, so depending on the content the relevance of dialogue will change. It can be more important in this genre though, as dialogue is a good tool to introduce characters and drama films usually rely very heavily on their characters as a way to keep the audience captivated.
Without dialogue: Eternal Sunshine of the spotless mind
Positives:
The effect of no dialogue here is that the opening remains simple, yet meaningful. The character is introduced to us via narration which allows the audience to have a more intimate connection because it feels like they are being spoken directly to, whereas with dialogue it could depersonalise or over complicate the information we are being given. This connection with a character is crucial within drama films thus the choice of narration here is very effective.
Negatives:
I do not think that dialogue would add to this opening at all, thus personally I cannot see any negatives with its absence.
With dialogue : Social network
Positives:
This opening has a large amount of dialogue, which works because it instantly gives the audience an insight into the characters; Mark Zuckerberg is a very intelligent human being who appears to talk at least double the speed of a normal human. This works as it draws the audience in to see where this character will be going.
Negatives:
The downside of using such a dialogue filled opening is that it could be seen as a bit difficult to follow; as the character talks so quickly it is tricky to keep track of what he says and thus the audience may miss crucial parts of the characters personality.
Romance:
Dialogue is quite important to romance film openings as it is when the two characters involved are usually introduced to the audience and/or each other. This is usually best depicted with dialogue, however sometimes a good soundtrack can give a similar effect.
Without dialogue: Dear John
Positives:
This opening uses narration, which brings the audience closer with the character and adds more emotion to the opening than perhaps it would have if it used dialogue, as it is like the characters thoughts being directly projected to the audience. This adds a sense of intimacy that sets the scene for the rest of the film.
Negatives:
Some could interpret this narration as a bit cringe worthy, and thus less effective than a dialogue between two characters would have been. However I feel that this format of a letter suits the genre and sets the tone well so this is a minor criticism.
The dialogue in this shows the audience the dynamics of the couples relationship from the start, making them want to follow and find out the result, as well as introducing them to the different characters and the different aspects of their personality.
Negatives:
It throws the audience straight into the dialogue of an argument, which could be misleading as characters can be perceived differently in an argument compared to normal dialogue. Furthermore the audience is more likely to concentrate on the content of the dialogue rather than focusing on getting to grips with the different characters, so to doesn't really set them up for the rest of the film.
What issues could I face by using dialogue in my coursework?
I think that the main issue with using dialogue is making sure that the sound quality is good, especially if the opening was set outside or somewhere where there is lots of background noise as this would then detract from the overall image of the opening. Furthermore, I would have to make sure that if I do use any dialogue that it is all relevant, as it is quite easy just to include ramblings that don't actually add anything to the overall scene, and could over complicate a plot.
What issues could I face by not using dialogue in my coursework?
The main challenge would be portraying the characters and plot clearly without dialogue, as it is quite easy for some of the ideas to be lost when there is no dialogue being used and then the audience could become confused. Also, dialogue is a good way of keeping an audience's attention, so if I choose not to use I would have to think of other ways to keep their focus.
